Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-04-03
HOTEL DEL MONTE A RUIN
THE 800 GUW>T% DNIVEN OUT
BY RU"HING FLAMES.

All Escape In safety But Lose Their
Personal EGects-A Night Under the
Stars With hut Scanty Garments to
Protect Them From The Coid-Ail
Taken to San Francisco.
MONTEREY, CAL, April The Hotel
Del Monte was discovered to be on fire
shortly before midnight. Everything was
done to save ii, but without success. The
magnificent hotel and its contents are a
total wreck. No lives we're lost. There
were nearly 800 guests in the hotel, mostly
Eastern people. The fire was discovered
quick enough to give all an opportunity
10 escape. Most Of the guests lost their
trunks and clothing. Those who were not
overcome by fright saved their jewels and
money. They were all huddled together
on the grounds, where they had TO shiver
all night, many of them having nothing
more than their night clothes. The heat
from the flames of the burning building
kept them warm for a time. but as the
flames died out many ladies suffered Sc.
verely from cold. All who could sought
refuge in the local hotels, and arrange
ments have been made by the railroad
companies to take them to San Francisco
as early as possible. The hotel belonged
to the Southern Pacific Railway Com
pany, and was considered the handson-
est watering place hotel in America. 1t
cost $350,0O0 and WAS not insured,
AN UNUSUAL SCENE.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 2.-lmmediately
upon the receipt OF the news of the burn
ing of Hotel Del Monte, Monterey, this
morning, the Southern Paclfic Company
made prompt arrangements to bring the
guests to this city. The first train load
arrived at II 80 o'clock this morning, and
numbered about $50. The scene present ted
in the richly furnished coaches of scantily
clad ladies, with disheveled hair and
frightened looks, was a peculiar one.
Another trainload arrived AN hour
later, bringing the remainder of the
guests. Friends and relatives were at
the depot to meet them. Some carried
bundles OF necessary articles OF wearing
apparel with which to envelop the forms
OF those unfortunates who had been COM
PEELED to leave the hotel without cere-
mOny, while others were present to as
sure themselves that relatives and friends
had escaped unframed.
RECEIVED WITH OPEN ARMS.
When the train pulled in the station
there was "A rush for the platforms OF the
cars, and rs the half-clad passengers
stepped off they found themselves in the
arms of anxious watchers, some of whom
were hysterical in their congratulations.
For about five minutes there was general
handshaking and embracing, and the
tired tourists were hurried to waiting
hacks and buses to be taken to hotels.
The greater number sought refuge at
the Palace Hotel, but as that building
was already crowded to its ut
most capacity the unfortunates In
many cases were obliged to seek quarters
elsewhere. A majority of the ladies were
wrapped in blankets, with wells and
scarfs about their heads and slippers on
their feet. Those guests who had lost all
their money by the fire were notified to-
day by the manager OF the Palace Hotel
that they might draw on him for such
funds as were necessary to provide them
with proper clothing, and this evening
they are feeling more comfortable.
INCENDIARIsM SUSPECTED.
The total loss, including the losses OF
guests, will probably reach $1,5OO,0O0
The only guest who was injured was
Capt. Scott, a Boston capitalist. who
burned his hands in too rapidly descend
ing a rope from a window OF the room he
occupied. From the fact that the water
pipes had been tempered with
and that Immediately after the
first outbreak flames were
discovered in another part OF the build
ing it is firmly believed that the fire was
the work of an incendiary. The matter
will be strictly investigated. The de-
struction OF the hotel is looked upon as a
calamity to the entire State.
TWO CHARRED CoRPsES.
BUFFALO, April 2.-Workmen remov-
ing the ruins or the Richmond hotel to-
day found the charred remains OF a
woman nrobably those OF one of the rec
servant girls who persisted In the fire,
and also these of one man. Both were
unacceptable.
ABLAZE IN TEXAS.
CHICAGO. April "A special from
Morgan, Tex, says: News mas reached
here of very destructive fire raging In
Cedar Brakes on BrOZes river, ten miles
east OF here. The fire started Tuesday at
the mouth of Laing's creek and destroyed
all the timber on the midland and
Chorino TO the amount OF 10000 acres.
Several houses have been burned. The
damage already amounts to $500, 900 and
tho fampa are sfill raging.